Friday, November 30, 2007

"In a nutshell, the spotters are sophisticated microphones that can discern between gunfire and other percussive noises (firecrackers, Fred Sanford’s car backfiring) and relay the exact location of the shooting to police."

Oakland and Redwood City as well as a few other cities around the US already have it in use. Wonder what this will reveal about SF, in terms of unreported shootings of course, but also about how the police respond to said shootings.

Two men were shot in a drive-by in the Silver Terrace area of SF, around 10 p.m. Wednesday night. The victims were an 18 year-old man who was hit in the arm, and a 34 year-old man, who was hit in the leg.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

(11-25) 11:56 PST San Francisco -- Two men working at the Fire Fly Sports Bar in the outer Sunset District were shot early Sunday morning by a would-be patron who was trying to enter the bar but was turned away at the door, San Francisco police said.

The incident occurred at 2:20 a.m. in front of the bar at 2457 Noriega Street, between 31st and 32nd Avenues. One unidentified employee was shot in the back, while a bullet grazed the ankle of the second.

Both were transported to San Francisco General Hospital. Police are searching for the lone male suspect, who fled the scene.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

(11-22) 10:22 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- A man was shot to death early this morning in the Portola District, San Francisco police said.

Police were called at about 1:50 a.m. to the 700 block of Bacon Street, where they found a male victim who had been shot at least once, police said. The victim, who police did not identify, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

(11-21) 15:16 PST SAN FRANCISCO - A San Francisco woman was sexually assaulted by the same man twice in one week, once on the street in the Glen Park neighborhood and once in her garage, police said today.

Investigators said the 27-year-old woman was first attacked about 5:30 p.m. Nov. 10 as she walked from the Glen Park BART station toward Bosworth Street. A woman who was with the male assailant yelled at the victim, demanding her purse, then slapped and pushed her to the pavement after she grabbed it, police said.

The man then pushed the woman down and sexually assaulted her, police said. Two women on the street saw what was happening and yelled, scaring the man away, police said. He ran north onto Lippard Street.

Five days later, the woman was driving up to her home when the man reappeared, this time with a gun, and followed her into the garage. He then sexually assaulted the woman a second time, police said.

Investigators described the man as black and in his 20s, 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. The letters INRI were tattooed on his right forearm, police said, and he had a mole under his right cheek.

The woman who was with him in the first attack was described as Latino and in her 20s, 5-foot-3 and 140 pounds, with drawn-on "high-brows" and pink lipstick, police said. She spoke with a thick accent, investigators said.

Police are especially anxious to talk to the two women whose shouts scared off the assailant during the first attack. Anyone with information is asked to call Inspectors Dan Deydon or Sidney Laws at (415) 553-1361 or the anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444.

Composite drawings of the suspects are available at the Police Department's Web site, links.sfgate.com/ZBPY.

A 23-year-old suspect was taken into custody early Wednesday morning on multiple charges in connection with a stabbing that took place in the Sunset District, San Francisco police said.

A 26-year-old San Francisco woman told police that she was at a 7-Eleven store on 46th Avenue at Judah Street when she believes she was followed to her home.

When she reached the front of her home, 23-year-old Robert Hancock allegedly approached her. The two were involved in a verbal exchange when the suspect reportedly pulled out a knife and stabbed her multiple times, said Sgt. Steve Mannina.

The woman, who was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, told police she doesn't know why the suspect stabbed her.

A witness reported the incident and a description of the suspect to police today at around 1:30 a.m. Units searching the area around the Taraval police station spotted the suspect nearby.

Hancock allegedly ran from one officer but was taken into custody by another officer at approximately 1:51 a.m. Hancock is being held on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, stalking, possession of drug paraphernalia, probation violation and resisting arrest, said Mannina.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Nov. 19, 2007 (BCN) - San Francisco had the largest reported number of hate crimes in 2006 among the Bay Area's three major cities followed by San Jose and Oakland had the least, according to new FBI statistics released today.

San Francisco, with a population of approximately 746,000, had a total of 94 reported hate crime incidents in 2006, including 25 that were race-based, 20 religion-based, 38 based on sexual orientation and 11 based on ethnicity, according to the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics 2006 report.

San Jose, the largest city in the Bay Area with a population of approximately 920,000, had 29 reported hate crimes in 2006 including 13 that were race-based, five religion-based, six based on sexual orientations and five based on ethnicity, according to the bureau.

Oakland, the smallest major Bay Area city with a population of approximately 399,000, only had two reported hate crimes in 2006, one race-based and one based on ethnicity, according to the bureau.

Among smaller Bay Area cities, Alameda, Albany and Antioch had one reported hate crime incident each in 2006, Belmont had one, Berkeley 10, Brentwood and Burlingame one each, Concord had seven, Cotati, Daly City, El Cerrito and Fremont one each, Half Moon Bay and Hollister each had two, Livermore had four, Los Gatos, Menlo Park, Milpitas, Morgan Hill and Mountain View each had one, Newark had three, Novato and Pacifica had two each, Palo Alto had three, Petaluma had two, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill and Pleasanton had one each, Redwood City had one, Richmond had three, Rohnert Park two, San Bruno and San Leandro had one each, San Mateo had 14, San Pablo one, San Rafael had five, Santa Clara one, Santa Cruz had 13, Santa Rosa six, Sonoma, South San Francisco and Suisun had one each, Union City had four, Walnut Creek had three and Watsonville had four.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

(11-17) 11:10 PST San Francisco -- A man was shot and killed early today after a brief fight with two other men in San Francisco, police said.

The victim, who was in his 20s, was shot in the hip on Polk Street near McAllister Street at about 1:30 a.m., police said. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have not released his name.

The two suspects fled the scene and no arrests have been made. It is not known whether the suspects knew the victim before the shooting, police said.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

A hard-luck bank robber was chased by construction workers and denied twice in carjacking attempts before police caught him this morning in a wild chase through San Francisco, Sgt. Neville Gittens said.

Sacramento resident David Bryant, 51, robbed a Wachovia bank at 200 Pine St. at 9:05 a.m., according to Gittens.

He allegedly jumped over the bank counter and grabbed an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register before fleeing on foot.

Bryant was seen running from the bank, dropping money as he went, according to witnesses. Trying to get away, he brandished a knife in an attempt to carjack a woman driving a Volvo on California Street, said Gittens. The woman drove away, but nearby construction workers saw the incident and began chasing Bryant.

They followed him down California Street and Bryant then tried to carjack the driver of a van, who also refused to give up his vehicle.

Bryant wasn't about to stop trying. At the intersection of Bush and Sansome streets, he allegedly stopped a cab and told the driver at knifepoint to take him to the Tenderloin neighborhood, according to Gittens. Construction workers were not able to follow him beyond that point.

However, police were able to stop and arrest Bryant on Leavenworth Street at 9:15 a.m., according to Gittens.

He was charged with five counts of robbery, two counts of attempted car jacking, one count carjacking, and one count kidnapping.

Price, 18, was shot to death after an argument with at least one other young man just inside the building's entrance, according to witnesses and police.

Minutes later, a 15-year-old suspect was arrested a block away from where the Sunday evening shooting took place, said Sgt. Neville Gittens, a San Francisco police spokesman. The suspect was arrested on Mission Street near 5th Street and was in possession of a handgun at the time of his arrest, according to Gittens.

Police officials would not release any other information about the suspect because of his age but Gittens said the teenager is being held at the Youth Guidance Center on suspicion of murder and a weapons charge. A crowd surged out the front doors of the Metreon at the corner of Fourth and Mission streets moments after the 7:05 p.m. shooting near the main movie theater ticket counter. Police, who were directing traffic outside because of the crush prompted by a nearby Oracle Corp. conference, rushed in and found the victim lying on the floor, Gittens said.

The victim, whose name was withheld by police, was shot "numerous times" and died at San Francisco General Hospital at 7:30 p.m.

While a motive is not known, the victim and suspect had been arguing, Gittens said. Investigators do not believe the incident was gang related, he added.

"It was just one of those encounters," he said.

San Francisco resident James Galindez said he and Judy Anderson walked by four young men who were arguing just before the shooting.

"There were four males around 17 or 18 years old, and they were saying, 'I'll pop a cap in your ass,' " he said. "They were arguing, and (Anderson) pulled me away. ... We walked away to Sanraku (restaurant), and that's when we heard the shots, pop, pop, pop."

Gittens said police were able to interview a large number of witnesses after the shooting, though he was not sure whether any of those people were the victim's or suspect's friends.

In just 180 days, San Francisco had 1041 more assaults than it had in all of 2005, and 1235 more than all of 2006 (2639 assaults in '05, 2435 in '06).

I really wish the SFPD would compile and make public all these statistics themselves. Or at least make data for the WHOLE year so far available on the crime maps.

Anyways, as for assault rates, SF looks set to possibly come out with over 7,000 assaults at the end of year, and an assault rate of almost 1000 per 100,000 residents. SF's assault rate in 2005 was 352.3 per 100,000, and in 2006 it was 324.7). Detroit had an Assault rate of 1400 per 100,000 in 2005. Oakland had one of 654.2. SF is getting up there...

The SFPD's crimemaps were already a little frustrating to use, what with information that only goes back 90 days, and no ability to look at statistics for the city as a whole...but it's been taken a step further. The ability to search for homicides has been removed. Arson, rape, robbery, larceny, etc, etc, it's all there. But you can no longer search for murders. It's been this way for at least a month it seems. Not too sure what the reason is behind this, but it's sort of a coincidence when you take this year's record murder rate into account...

- DEAD BODY FOUNDTurk and Larkin. There is a sh*t load of police and the coroner van just arrived. The body was found in a sitting position underneath the garbage shoot in the alley way.

MaleAge: unknownRace: unknown

17 hours, 3 minutes ago

- Six cop cars, fire engine and ambulance at 200 Brannan, 3:30am ish. One man taken away in ambulance. What is happening in my quiet South Beach? This is the same ground-floor apartment that set of a big fire cracker in the street last week.

1 day, 8 hours ago

- At 2:45am this morning, I woke to six gunshots sounding extremely close to Page and Broderick. Cops said they had someone on the way, but haven't heard anything. Anyone?

San Francisco police believe one man is responsible for six bank robberies that have occurred in San Francisco and Oakland over the course of several months.

The robberies spanned from June 13 to Aug. 20, police said. Five were at banks in San Francisco's Chinatown and another was in Oakland.

The suspect's method is to demand money by passing the bank teller a note, police said. He is described as a thin, middle-aged Chinese man standing between 5 foot 6 inches and 5 foot 7 inches tall. He wears a cap or hat during the heists, police said.

Information regarding the series of robberies is asked to contact Inspector Dan Gardner at (415) 553-9255 or FBI Special Agent David Walden at (415) 553-7400.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

- Sir Marcus Bibbs, 21, was shot to death, and another man wounded, by two teenage suspects, at 8 a.m. near Garlington Court and La Salle Avenue.- An unidentified man in his early 20's was shot to death at 3 a.m. this morning at West point and Middle Point Roads.

Also, a man was arrested today on suspicion of murdering a woman in a SOMA hotel room in 2006.

- The morning of October 25th, a 38 year-old man was shot by several suspects in a robbery in the Tenderloin. He received life-threatening injuries, and some of the suspects were arrested.- 2 separate shootings sent 3 to the hospital last Friday. Two victims were hit in Visitacion Valley, and received non life-threatening injuries. The third victim was shot in Hunters Point, and received life-threatening injuries.- Also last Friday, a man attempted to kill six nuns by setting a convent on fire in the Portola District (news incorrectly states the location as the Bayview). Luckily the fire went out, and he was arrested.- last Sunday, a man was stabbed on 7th Street in SoMa, receiving life-threatening injuries.- the guy who set burning man on fire early was arrested after a tip that he was planning to burn down Grace Cathedral. He was found on the cathedral steps with some illegal fireworks, and apprehended.- On Tuesday night, police opened fire on some robbery suspects at a McDonalds on Ocean Avenue, near City College. One bullet went through the wall of a house and slightly injured a woman inside.

98. Cythia Sareen Weaver, 46, killed after falling from her bathroom window while trying to escape her abusive boyfriend, 24th and Folsom Streets, 11:00 p.m., the Mission. She fell on 10/03. (died on 10/20)

97. Jonisha Tucker, 16, hit in the head with a stray bullet, Hollister Avenue and Third Street, 7:37 p.m., Hunters Point., 10/14. (died on 10/16)

79. Giovanni Lechado, 28, shot along with his wife, inside a car at 18th and Bryant Streets, 6:30 p.m., the Mission, 09/04. Their 4 month-old child was in the car when they were shot. Died at SFGH, 11:40 a.m. (09/05)

*54. Paul Lenz, 41, beaten and strangled, body found at Ocean Beach, 4:00 a.m., 01/15. (Declared a homicide 06/13) *Ocean Beach is under jurisdiction of the US Park Police, so Lenz's murder is not being counted by the SFPD in their total, even though he was killed in San Francisco.

18. Liri Lesku, 34, shot while sleeping in house at 407 Kansas Street, on 02/13, at 2:30 p.m. in potrero Hill. Another woman was critically injured, and a man paralyzed in the shooting. (died at SFGH on 02/26)

11. James Gibson, 29, shot to death on the 100 block of Loehr Street, 1:30 a.m., Visitacion Valley. (02/03)

* 10. Leonard Milo Hoskins, 49, bludgeoned in his home with a peice of lumber, 60 Lamartine Street, Mission Terrace, on December 22nd. His body was not found until February 1st. * The SFPD is counting this towards 2008's total, even though the man was killed in 2007. (02/01)

2008 Justifiable Homicides

1. Leonard Michael Cole, a 55-year old homeless man, shot and killed after lunging at police officers with a knife, Greenwich and Polk Streets. (01/27)

2008 Suspicious Deaths

1. Marcos Baas-Chi, 26, killed after falling from an apartment window on the 300 block of Eddy Street, 10 p.m., the Tenderloin. (03/18)

2007 Homicide Victims (Final SFPD count: 99 Final FBI count: 100)

104. Albert Collins, 30, shot to death while sheilding his 9 year-old daughter from bullets in drive-by at Brookdale and Santos Avenues in Visitacion Valley. 3 others including his daughter were injured. (12/31)

103. Leonard Milo Hoskins, 49, bludgeoned in his home with a peice of lumber, 60 Lamartine Street, Mission Terrace. His body was not found until February. (12/23)

102. Dewayne Larry, 24, shot to death on the 100 block of Kiska Road, Hunters Point (12/17)

* 82. John Daniel Schirra, 22, found dead 2600 block of San Jose Avenue, Lakeview (09/03) *Not counted by the SFPD, who regard his death as "accidental." The Medical Examiner found trace amounts of LSD in his system, and the police believe that he was high and then stripped down, neatly folded his clothes, went outside, stabbed himself multiple times, fell and hit his head, and then knocked on doors looking for help before he died.

* 58. Hugues De La Plaza, 36, found stabbed to death in his apartment, Linden Street, Hayes Valley. (07/02) *Not included in the SFPD's count because the Medical Examiner has not yet released an official ruling on the cause of death

18. John Donaldson, 44, shot to death in car, another man critically injured, in double shooting at Third and Gilman Streets, Hunters Point (02/19)

17. Cadelia Howard, 54, found shot to death in housing complex, 1200 block of Ingalls Street, Hunters Point (02/17)

16. Tony McDougal, 33, shot at Hayes and Baker in the Western addition. He drove to Haight and Fillmore Streets in the Lower Haight, and crashed into a bus shelter at the scene of another shooting, that had occured an hour earlier, and was being investigated by police. He died at SFGH. (02/12)

2007 Justifiable Homicides

4. Marcus Harris, 37, stabbed to death by his girlfriend after he attacked her, 1500 block of La Salle Avenue, Hunters Point (09/15)

3. Rene Alexander Robinson, 45, shot to death by police when he charges them with two large knives, after he stabbed a man to death (Homicide victim #22) and attempted to hijack a car and stab the inhabitants, 7th and Townsend Streets, SoMa (03/07)

1. Mario Vargas, 36, of Daly City, shot to death by police outside pizzeria, 5145 Mission Street, after pointing a gun at officers, the Mission (01/28)

2007 Suspicious Deaths and Unverified Murders

4. A man was reportedly shot in the face at 24th and York Streets, in the Mission, after which he got in his car, drove a block, crashed, and according to witnesses, died. There was no news, and his death is not recorded on the SFPD's crime maps. Did he not actually die? Did he die from the accident, and not the bullet? (mid-July)

3. Edgar Garcia Torres, 22, killed when a gang member and convicted felon running from police slammed into his car, Third and Quesada Streets, Hunters Point. This was ruled vehicular manslaughter, but another death under almost identical circumstances (homicide #32), was considered a murder. Not sure what the reasoning is. (04/18)

2. Joshua Glasser, 26, found naked, handcuffed, and suffocated, with a plastic bag around his head, in a ransacked apartment, 1900 page street, the Haight. Heard that this was considered a homicide, but later heard it was considered as "suspicious." (02/19)

1. Homeless woman reportedly shot to death, 401 Haight Street, Lower Haight. There was no news story, so it is unsure if the victim died (mid-January)